Beastie Boys Win $1.7 Million Verdict in Monster Beverage Lawsuit

The Beastie Boys prevailed in their latest copyright crusade Thursday, winning a $1.7 million verdict in their lawsuit against Monster Beverage Corp. A federal jury in Manhattan came down in the rappers’ favor two years after they filed suit against the company over its unauthorized use of their songs in a promotional video.

“We’re happy,” band member Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz said after the hearing, according to a report on the verdict by Reuters. “We just want to thank the jury.”

A lawyer for Monster said the company planned to appeal the verdict, according to Reuters. Monster had argued that its infringment was not intentional and that it should owe no more than $125,000. The Beastie Boys had originally sought up to $2.5 million.

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